


Dudley Dursley and the Magical Enchantress

by almondjoyz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Drama, Explicit Language, Fluff, Post War, Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-03
Updated: 2007-11-29
Packaged: 2018-10-27 11:21:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10808034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almondjoyz/pseuds/almondjoyz
Summary: Dudley wasn't expecting to find her. He fought it every step of the way and yet, once he fell under her spell and there was no going back. No matter what.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

\--Chapter One--

  


  


Dudley looked at the invitation with astonishment. No matter how many times he'd read it, it was always the same: Harry had invited him to his wedding.

  


Ever since Dudley Dursley left his childhood home on Privet Drive four years ago, he'd developed a tolerance for Harry's magical world, and perhaps, a fascination to boot. The things that Hestia and Daedalus were able to do amazed him. They could charm beds to make themselves, pots and pans scrubbed themselves clean in a matter of seconds, and most amazingly, they could make things unnoticeable to those who shouldn't see them. In a way, Dudley longed to be unnoticeable. The way his mother fussed over him was embarrassing and the looks he got from people looking at him made him feel an inch tall. Physically, people couldn't help but notice him, either. He was now well over six feet tall, muscular and large, not fat, like he was as a child, but rather strong and bulky.

  


Thinking about Harry again actually made Dudley smile. Over the last five years, he and Harry had gone from bully and target to nearly friends. Now, they didn't go out to the pub every week, but when they finally were able to straighten things out, they laughed and talked in ways they should have long ago.

  


His parents, however, were another story. His father, the big blow-hard, forbade Dudley to bring Harry inside the house. He clung to the same prejudice and ill-will toward Harry and his world, despite the fact that witches and wizards saved their lives and hid them from being kidnapped. Dudley decided his father would never change and moved out a year ago amidst shouting and talk of disowning him. Dudley didn't care; he'd had enough and the last year was perhaps one of the best of Dudley's life.

  


His mother was a sorry excuse for a woman. She had no backbone when it came to talking to his father about Harry. When she would visit him alone, she had the gall to admit that she wanted to get to know Harry better. However, her attitude and actions never proved that, making her one of the biggest hypocrites on the planet. Needless to say, Dudley spent very little time in his parents' company these days.

  


Glancing back at the invitation, Dudley checked the date against the calendar on the wall. The wedding was in two weeks and he smiled when he saw that he was free. He took the response card and indicated his response, placing the card in the basket on the table to be posted in the morning.

  


  


What does one buy his formerly estranged cousin as a wedding present? That was the current dilemma facing Dudley as he strolled the aisles of a local department store. He'd been in the store for longer than he anticipated and was beginning to think that he'd have to go elsewhere. It didn't help that Harry and Ginny were magical and would have no need for the fancy gadgets that graced the shelves of the home store. After a few more minutes of aimless walking, help arrived in the form of a grey-haired woman, approximately his mother's age.

  


“Is there something I can help you find?” she asked.

  


He wondered how long the woman had been watching him as he realized he had walked past her several times as she stood rooted to the floor behind the cash register.

  


“Er, yeah. My cousin is getting married on Saturday.” He shifted uncomfortably with his hands in his pockets.

  


“Are they registered here?”

  


Dudley nearly snorted at the woman's comment. “No. They live...elsewhere.”

  


“Alright. Then what do they do for a living?”

  


Trying to think in terms she would understand, he thought for a moment. “Well, uh, Harry's in law enforcement and Ginny...she's an athlete.” That was the safest way he could explain to her that Ginny flew on a broom fifty feet in the air for a living.

  


The woman took him over to various areas of the department and he shot down nearly every suggestion she'd made. They had no use for an eight-speed mixer, a four-slot toaster, a bagless cyclonic vacuum or a microwave/convection oven. Noticing that the woman was at the end of her rope, he finally decided on a set of crystal wineglasses and a matching decanter. He would buy a couple bottles of wine on Friday to complete the gift.

  


Satisfied with his selections, Dudley drove home, whistling along to the song on the radio. His good mood, however, was quickly extinguished as he saw his father's car parked in the drive, blocking his garage.

  


“Dudley, m'boy!” His father's voice was cheerful—too cheerful. “Good to see you, son. Hmmm....what's in the bag?” He made a grab for the shopping bag and Dudley moved it away.

  


“It's nothing...just a gift.”

  


“Shopping for a bird, you Don Juan..always knew you'd be a magnet for the ladies.” Vernon mussed up Dudley's hair and chortled a bit.

  


“No, Dad. It's a wedding gift.”

  


Vernon's expression faded at Dudley's statement. “Who's getting married? We know everyone you do, and we aren't going to any wedding.”

  


“Exactly. I doubt he'd want you or Mum there anyhow!” Dudley walked past his father, bumping into his shoulder on the way to the door.

  


In the seven seconds it took Dudley to walk to his front step. Vernon figured out exactly what Dudley was inferring. His heavy footfalls came closer to Dudley and before Dudley could say anything, a beefy hand was on his shoulder, forcefully turning him around to face his father.

  


“Do you mean to tell me that you're going to HIS wedding? How dare you disobey--”

  


“I'm not twelve anymore, Dad! And his name is Harry!” His father winced at Harry's name. “And you know something Dad? He's pretty cool. We get together every once in a while.” Vernon deflated a bit, if it was possible for him to do that. “Ginny's pretty and she's fit and she loves him. But I doubt that you--” He poked his father in the chest “--even know what the word means!”

  


Dudley spun on his heels and opened the door, leaving a gobsmacked and speechless Vernon Dursley in his wake.

  


  


Dudley sat in his car, twiddling his thumbs as he anxiously awaited someone to come get him. He was waiting for one of Harry's friends to meet him here and escort him to the wedding. He had phoned Harry the day before when he realized the location was magical and he wouldn't be able to get inside.

  


“ _Harry, mate, you nervous much?”_

  


“ _A bit. Things are coming along nicely. Her mum lives for moments like this.”_

  


_They talked for several minutes about the wedding and Molly's constant hovering._

  


“ _One question for you though, Harry. I can't get in there, remember? You told me the place was full of Muggle repelling stuff.”_

  


“ _Oh shit, you're right!”_

  


“ _Hey, it's alright. Just calm down.”_

  


“ _Yeah, well, lemme think—got it! There's a car park about two blocks away and I'll send someone to get you.”_

  


“ _Right-o.”  
_  


“ _You're car still blue?”_

  


“ _Yeah. I can't afford to buy new cars every year like SOME people.”_

  


“ _Hey, I don't do that!”  
_  


“ _Still, you're a lot more well-off than I am.”_

  


“ _Whatever.”_

  


“ _I'll see you tomorrow then, Harry.”_

  


“ _Yep. Bye Dudley.”_

  


So here he sat in his car, now drumming his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music on the radio. A knock on his window made him jump. As he lowered the window, he was presented with a nice-looking brunette woman wearing what looked like a light-green cloak.

  


“Are you Dudley Dursley? Because I've already checked two blue cars and I don't fancy looking at any more,” she said. Even though Dudley knew she had to be annoyed, her voice didn't reveal her emotions.

  


He stuck his head out the window. “Yes, that's me.” He then raised the window and opened the door to exit the car. As he drew to his full height, he noticed that she was shorter than she appeared. “Dudley Dursley.” He held out his hand and she took it, shaking his hand with her much smaller one.

  


“Hi, Dudley,” she said with a toothy grin, “I'm Katie. Katie Bell.”

  


“Thanks for doing this,” he said, looking her over from head to toe. Her hair was a bit longer than shoulder-length and her hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight, picking up golden flecks in her irises. She wore a modest amount of make-up, less than he was accustomed to seeing on a woman in fact. His eyes settled on her lips, both rather full, which had a rose-tinted lip gloss, making them shine.

  


“No problem. I'm actually supposed to be your shadow today, making sure that you don't fall victim to any of George's pranks,” she told him with a smile.

  


“George?”

  


“Yeah, one of Ginny's brothers. He runs a joke shop in Diagon Alley.”

  


Realization swept across Dudley's face. “Doesn't he have a twin?”

  


Katie's smile faded a bit. “Yeah, er, Fred died in the war.”

  


The tension was palpable now. “Oh yeah. Harry mentioned that. Did you know that they made my tongue swell up once?” he asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

  


Her smile returned. “Yeah, sounds like them.” She looked up at Dudley and hooked her arm around his. “Shall we?”

  


“We shall.”

  


The two of them had an amusing chat and he found himself very intrigued by this woman. She was witty, intelligent, funny, and very friendly. 

  


Too bad she was a witch.

  


  


The ceremony, Dudley noticed, was very ritualistic. Katie sat next to him and explained the finer details of what was going on. During the bonding spell, which was performed by the attending witches and wizards, Katie kindly took his hand and placed it on her wand while she performed the movements of the spell. He could feel the vibrations emanating from her wand and they shared a smile. Dudley was so affected by her smile that he had to look away.

  


Once Harry and Ginny were finally husband and wife, the room transformed itself into an intimate dining space with a dance floor. Dudley was amazed as he watched the magical room rearrange.

  


“Dudley!”

  


He looked up to see a beaming Harry, wearing snazzy black robes, and Ginny, glowing in a cream-coloured brocade dress that set off her skin and hair attractively.

  


The cousins embraced. It wasn't all that long ago that they were barely speaking to each other. But a chance meeting three years ago changed all that.

  


_Dudley had been looking for a car and was walking up and down the aisles of a dealership, trying to find one that caught his eye. He hadn't been swooped upon by a salesman as of yet and enjoyed his stroll among the shiny vehicles. The sound of approaching voices drew his attention and he saw a pair of men walking towards him and talking animatedly. One of them wore glasses and had familiar head of unruly black hair._

  


“ _Harry?” Dudley said, making the two men look up. It was Harry and the cousins exchanged wary smiles._

  


“ _Hey, there, Dudley,” Harry replied cautiously. The man next to him looked uneasy._

  


“ _That's Dudley?” the other man asked._

  


_Harry turned towards his friend. “Yeah. Dudley, this is my friend, Ron Weasley.”_

  


_Dudley and Ron eyed each other suspiciously and Dudley had an inkling that Ron was very protective of Harry, trying to steer him away._

  


“ _Hullo, Ron. You were at my house once.”_

  


“ _Er, yeah.” Ron shifted towards Harry and leaned over to whisper to Harry, his eyes never leaving Dudley's._

  


_Harry obviously took offense to what Ron had said and turned his attention to Dudley once again._

  


“ _Dudley, would...would you like to have a beer or something? It's been a while and I'd like to think that after you left...” Harry paused to look at Ron, still looking suspicious._

  


“ _Yeah, sure. That is, if Ron joins us.”_

  


_With a nudge in the ribs from Harry, Ron agreed, and the three of them walked to one of Dudley's favourite pubs for darts, stout, and chips._

  


_As it turned out, the three of them had an unexpectedly good time together. Dudley found out about Harry and Ron's Auror training and was briefed on the wizarding war that he and Ron had fought. Dudley told them about his apprenticeship with a stone mason and of his struggles with his parents. Ron told Dudley stories of dragons, goblins, and Hallows, earning them strange looks from their fellow patrons._

  


_They left the pub an hour before closing, and since that day, the three of them met up every few months to catch up._

  


“So Katie's been showing you a good time?” Harry asked his cousin as they pulled apart. “She's a great gal.” Harry winked at her.

  


“Yeah, thanks for that. You look beautiful, Ginny.” Dudley leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She beamed at him, obviously head over heels for Harry.

  


“Thank you Dudley. I'm so glad you could make it,” she answered, placing her hand on his cheek in a warm gesture. “And Katie, thanks for helping Dudley.”

  


Katie turned to him and for a moment, their eyes locked.

  


“No problem. He's fun.” As she spoke, neither of them looked away, thereby missing the way Harry and Ginny looked at each other and the way they squeezed each other's hand.


	2. Chapter 2

\--Chapter Two--

  


  


Dudley couldn't sleep. He had been tossing and turning for the past forty-five minutes. He was generally a very sound sleeper and this was really beginning to get on his nerves.

  


He returned home from Harry's wedding at one that morning, having had more fun than he had in ages. The music was very similar to the rock 'n' roll he listened to so it wasn't too difficult to lose himself in the beat. Katie showed him how to dance something called 'The Hippogriff' and she, as well as several others, was a very willing student as he demonstrated 'The Macarena' and 'The Electric Slide.'

  


Rather than tying to sleep, he got out of bed and ambled into the kitchen, searching for some juice. He found a half-empty carton of orange juice and lifted it to his mouth. When he lived with his parents, he would never have thought of drinking from the carton. But that was the whole point of moving out, wasn't it?

  


As the juice slid down his throat, he remembered the reception and the huge bowl of Chocolate Frogs on the buffet table. He was initially shocked at the prospect of eating a chocolate-covered frog, but Katie showed him that it was just a spell on the chocolate. Once he opened his first package, she told him about the cards that are always included. But today, the collectible cards weren't of famous witches and wizards; they contained cards with bits of trivia about Harry and Ginny. The tidbits of information ranged from their first kiss to favourite foods to their most embarrassing moments. Dudley had to admit that it was an excellent idea and had even managed to collect the ten different cards and placed them carefully in his wallet.

  


There was one thing that Dudley just couldn't shake about the evening and that was the impact that Katie had made on him. She was sweet, kind, and patient with him as she explained all the wondrous thing that were going on around him. She didn't back away from his questions and was never annoyed with him. She was easy to talk to, and dancing with her made him feel giddy at how well she fit against him.

  


With a heavy sigh, he told himself it would never work out. They were from different worlds and he doubted he would ever see her again. He just couldn't shake the happiness he'd felt that night and knew it was all because of her.

  


  


A month after Harry's wedding, Dudley walked into the kitchen to find a barn owl perched on the rain barrel outside his back door. It wasn't Harry's owl, Augustine, and he approached it with trepidation, untying the note from the owl's leg.

  


“Haven't got any treats for you,” he told the owl, who ruffled its feathers at him. Dudley swore the bird was angry with him. “Fine, fine. I think I have some ham around here.” He scrounged around in the refrigerator and brought out a piece of leftover ham, which the owl swallowed whole. Instead of leaving like Dudley thought he would, the owl flew to one of the kitchen chairs and buried its head under one wing. 

  


“What the deuce are you doing?” He tried to take a swipe at the owl and the letter drifted to the floor as the owl squawked. Dudley bent over and retrieved the letter.

  


“You want me to read it?” The bird blinked. “You're waiting until I read it?” It blinked again. “Blasted bird,” he muttered under his breath.

  


He unfolded the note and smiled as he saw whom it was from.

  


Katie.

  


  


_Dear Dudley--_

  


_I hope you don't think me too forward by sending you an owl, but I've been thinking of you the last few days._

  


_Would you like to meet me for lunch tomorrow? Or dinner? I'll be in London for a few days for work and would really love to see you again._

  


_Send word back with Lord Byron—my sister gave him to me after she named him—he'll wait for you to answer._

  


_Katie_

  


  


Dudley rummaged in his junk drawer and found an ink pen and quickly scratched out a reply.

  


  


_Katie--_

  


_I'd love to have dinner tomorrow night. I don't get a lot of time for lunch._

  


_Where would you like to go? Do you want to go to the cinema? I think you'd like it._

  


_Dudley_

  


  


 

The following evening, as Dudley was getting ready to leave for his dinner date with Katie, he jumped as the phone rang.

  


“Hullo?”

  


“Duddikins!”

  


His heart sunk at the sound of his mother's voice.

  


“Oh, hi, Mum.”

  


“I haven't seen you in weeks! How are you doing?”

  


“I—I'm fine. Actually, I was just on my way out the door. I'm meeting someone for dinner.”

  


“Is it a girl? Please tell me you're going on a date. You're much too good looking to be single. Who is she?”

  


He hated it when his mother pried into his personal life. Actually, this was the first date he'd had in months.

  


“Mum, I'm going to be late if you don't get off the phone. Was there something you needed?”

  


“Well, yes. Don't you remember your father's birthday is coming up? I wanted to talk to you about planning a party.”

  


Dudley rolled his eyes and was beginning to lose his temper.

  


“Mum, I've got to go! Can't this wait?”

  


His mother was silent, which never meant anything good.

  


“How about I call you tomorrow, Mum? We'll talk then, okay?”

  


“F—fine! Go meet your secret paramour and forget about your old parents.”

  


Good Lord, she was laying it on thick.

  


“Mother! Stop it! I'll call you tomorrow.”

  


“Well, if it's not too much trouble...”

  


“Aargh! Goodbye, Mum!” He turned off the phone and threw it onto the kitchen table before leaving the house.

  


The day before, much to Dudley's delight and surprise, Katie called him from a phone booth near Diagon Alley. She had asked Ginny for his phone number, and Ginny gladly gave it to her. They quickly agreed to meet at an Italian restaurant near Piccadilly Circus. After dinner, they decided to see a film; Dudley was shocked when Katie told him she'd never seen one. In fact, Dudley looked forward to showing her his world in the same manner she showed him hers.

  


Traffic cooperated with him and he arrived in Piccadilly Circus with time to spare. However, parking was not cooperative, and he drove around and around, getting more and more frustrated. He then decided to valet park and walked a short distance to the restaurant.

  


Outside the door stood Katie. She looked amazing. Her hair was back in a knot at the base of her neck, and she wore a simple sleeveless blue dress with buttons down the front, coming to just above her calves. She had great legs.

  


“Katie...wow, you look great,” he said, his eyes wide and his mouth in a broad grin.

  


She smiled and looked up at him with her wide, hazel eyes. “Thanks. Nice tie.”

  


He extended his hand to her and she laced her fingers through his, sending a wonderful sensation up his arm.

  


The hostess seated them at a round table across from one another but Katie surprised him by moving her chair next to his.

  


“I, er, well...I like to sit near the people I talk to. I hate formal seating,” she explained, a slight blush rising in her cheeks. Her knee bumped into his and another jolt of shock shot up his body.

  


Why was he acting this way, he wondered. He'd had girlfriends before, so why was this simple woman affecting him like this? She wasn't glamorous in the conventional sense; she wasn't busty like most of the women he had dated. They simply clicked, defying logic and reason.

  


Dinner was an enjoyable affair. Katie plied him with questions about football (which she had discovered from one of her Muggle friends), his favourite music, and his parents. Dudley gladly left out the fact that if his father knew who he was out with, he'd most likely have an aneurysm and die on the spot.

  


_Maybe you should tell him, Dudders._

  


Dudley was equally enthusiastic about finding out about her. He discreetly asked about her job as a Quidditch reporter and listened intently as she talked about her family. She told him stories of how she and her brothers and sisters played with their garden gnomes when they were growing up as well as the fascinating stories of growing up in the wizarding world. Together, they laughed at the moony-eyed couple across the room and smiled as the man proposed loudly, earning him a round of applause from the other diners.

  


As their dinner wore on, Dudley forgot that she was a witch and that there could be no chance of any kind of relationship with her. It was as if the planets had aligned and allowed Dudley to thoroughly enjoy the evening. During dessert, a bit of tiramisu fell on his chin and Katie leaned in to scoop it up with her spoon. Their eyes locked for a moment and their lips met in a light kiss that was entirely too short. She pulled back, looking as if she had been electrocuted.

  


“Did I do something wrong?”

  


Inside, he was shouting at himself and reminding him that she was not his kind and not to worry about it. Thankfully, he shoved those thoughts aside and returned his attention to her.

  


She sighed. “No. No, you didn't.” With her napkin this time, she wiped his chin clean.

  


An awkward silence fell between them until his watch chimed the hour.

  


“Oh! The film! We should get going.”

  


Katie smiled, the excitement at the prospect of seeing the film evident on her face. He laid some money inside the leather folder that their waiter had left before they rose from their chairs, automatically reaching for one another's hands.

  


From the corner of the room, a black-haired man and a Titian-haired woman smiled as they watched them exit the restaurant.

  


  


Stepping out into the warm night from the theatre, Katie was talking non-stop. “You mean people DREW the movie? I still can't believe that! It's amazing!” She clutched his arm as they strolled along, watching the people and all the twinkling lights around them.

  


“Well, it was done mostly on computers.”

  


“Computers? What are they again?”

  


They had gone to see the film, _Shrek_ , a movie Dudley felt to be a safe movie for a first date. He had tried to explain that the movie was made frame by frame and that the characters weren't real. However, they received several dirty looks and a few 'shushes' from those around them and just settled back to enjoy their entertainment.

  


Katie had been appalled at the way witches, wizards, fairies, and other magical creatures were portrayed. Dudley had to reassure her that the filmmakers meant no offence. She also thought it was extremely funny the way the dragon was portrayed. The only time dragons were chained was at Gringotts and in captivity. The kids in front of them turned around at her comments and rolled their eyes before muttering some very colourful words.

  


All too soon, they reached the lot where Dudley's car had been parked.

  


“Can I take you anywhere? I hate to think of you walking this late at night,” he said gallantly, part of him not wanting the evening to end.

  


“Ha! You're so funny, Dudley!” She swatted him playfully on the arm. “I can Apparate home.”

  


“Oh yeah. I forgot but I was--”

  


“You can drive me to the Leaky Cauldron,” she interrupted, making him smile again.

  


Once his car was retrieved, they began their drive down Charing Cross Road, all the while talking about the movie and what ogres and fairies were really like. Katie directed him to a parking spot near an obscure-looking door, indicating the wizarding pub.

  


“That's it? I thought it would be...grander. I mean, entry to the magical world and all, you know?”

  


She chuckled at his remark. “Well, we need to maintain secrecy, Dudley.”

  


He nodded and stared at the door.

  


“Dudley?” she asked softly, her voice more feminine than it had been all evening.

  


“Yeah?” He turned to her and took in her face, as if he were trying to remember every detail about her.

  


“I had a great time.”

  


“Me, too.”

  


The seconds ticked by slowly, both of them appearing not to want the evening to end.

  


“Well, good night, Katie,” he whispered.

  


“Uh-huh. Th—thanks again.”

  


As if on cue, they both leaned in and kissed each other, lingering longer than they had in the restaurant. When they pulled apart, she licked her lips and put her hand behind his head to pull him in for another kiss.

  


The kiss deepened as Dudley ran his tongue over her lower lip before diving into her mouth. She sighed into him and inched closer, surprisingly near his lap. She clung to him with one hand holding his head and the other on his arm.

  


Dudley had never been kissed so well. The heat of her mouth and the touch of her hand on his arm was driving him mad. He opened his eyes briefly to see her eyes half-lidded as she moved her mouth along his, making him give in to the passion between them and close his eyes once more.

  


He didn't know what to do with his hands. One was on her thigh, just lying there while his other arm was slung over the back of the seat. He desperately wanted to explore her gentle curves and touch her small, but oh so luscious breasts. His inner voice screamed at him to touch her the way he wanted to, but somehow, he managed to hold himself in check.

  


As if she read his thoughts. Katie straddled his leg and placed his hand on her backside. Their kisses became more frantic as his hand journeyed toward the places he'd longed to touch: her back, her shoulders, her neck, and her hair. His fingers brushed against the side of one of her breasts, earning him a moan from deep within her throat.

  


At the sound of her moan, Dudley wrapped both his arms around her, utilizing both hands to simultaneously squeeze her arse and cup her breast. Never before had he been given this amount of access so early, and he decided that he needed to make the most of their present situation. When she began moving her hips against his leg, he groaned at the pressure that began to build inside his trousers. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her and continued to caress her back.

  


Her eyes were still half-closed and she was nearly panting. He moved one hand to her cheek and gently kissed the tip of her nose. She was gorgeous as she sat astride his leg with her face flushed from their snogging. He hated to break the mood but he wasn't the type of man to go further on the first date.

  


_First date? There can't be anymore!_

  


_But I like her._

  


_She's a bloody witch! Your parents will go postal if they find out._

  


_She's attractive and one hell of a great kisser..._

  


“Dudley?” she whispered, pulling him from his inner battle.

  


“I think...I think we need to go.”

  


_Did that sound as stupid as I thought it did?_

  


“Yeah, I suppose so. I have to cover a Quidditch match tomorrow,” she told him, the passion slowly fading from her eyes.

  


“I have to call my mother.”

  


_You idiot! Who brings up their mummy post-snog? You're a fucking idiot, Dursley._

  


She squinted at him, almost as if she were trying to figure out if she needed to laugh. “You still check in with her?”

  


“No! No, of course not! I have to call her in the morning, that's all. She wants to plan something for my dad's birthday.”

  


She giggled a bit and brushed her thumb across his lips to remove her lipstick before sliding off his leg and reaching for the door handle.

  


“I had a really nice time. I'll be in touch.” She smiled again and before he could say anything, she was out of the car and had Disapparated away.


	3. Chapter 3

\--Chapter Three--

  


  


Dudley's dreams over the next few weeks were full of Katie. Their snog session supplied him with much material for naughty dreams that caused him to awaken with erections that would only go away after a warm shower paired with hard and fast motions from his hand. After their date, they talked on the phone twice and exchanged a few letters, but their schedules never coincided for another date.

  


One Saturday morning, Dudley was pulled from his shower by a pounding on his door. Experience told him it was his parents, as they were too impatient for the door bell. With a towel clutched tightly around his waist, he made his way to the door and opened it with a scowl.

  


“Good morn—Dudley! Put some clothes on!” his mother shrieked, pushing passed him.

  


“Dudley,” his father said curtly, following his wife.

  


“Come in,” he said in an annoyed whisper. This behaviour was becoming rather typical of his parents. In fact, he was awoken in a similar fashion the morning after his date with Katie.

  


  


“ _Oh Dudley! There you are! I was so worried!” His mother flung herself at him and began crying on his shoulder._

  


“ _Mum, I told you I would call today.” He peeled his mother off his body and set her down into a chair at the table._

  


“ _I know that, Dudley, but its a quarter of eleven right now and when you hadn't called by ten, I needed to come check on you.” She continued to sniff and dab her eyes._

  


“ _Shit, Mum, I just got up!”_

  


“ _Where were you last night?” she sobbed._

  


“ _I told you last night, I went out to dinner.”_

  


“ _I called at nine and you weren't home and then at ten you still weren't back I almost had a fit and your father had to give me a Valium.”_

  


“ _Holy crap, Mother! I'm not ten anymore. I don't have to check in with you anymore. What if I'd gone over to her place and spent the night? What if she stayed here?”_

  


_His mother gave an audible gasp and blushed. “You didn't sleep with her, did you? What are you smiling for? You did, didn't you! I think you need to get an AIDS test.”_

  


_From there, his mother's hysterics only got worse and at eleven-thirty, Dudley had to drive her home._

  


  


Dudley gave his parents an exasperated look and made his way to the bedroom. When he emerged, he was dressed in a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans. In the kitchen, his mother was huddled over the range and was busy cooking eggs for him and a kettle of water was being heated for tea.

  


“You don't have to feed me, Mother.” He sat down at the table across from his father who was hiding behind the Saturday Times.

  


“Nonsense, you're skin and bones,” she chided as she sat down a plate of eggs and a steaming cup of tea in front of him.

  


“So what are you doing here?” He pushed the eggs around on the plate; he hated the way his mother made eggs. The tea, he could tell was notoriously weak, meaning that she was sure to be nervous about something. “What are you doing here?” he repeated.

  


“Well, I, your father and I wanted to talk to you about the girl you went out with a few weeks back. We need to know more about her.” She sat down nervously at the empty chair. 

  


“Can't have you hooking up with the wrong sort of girl, now can we? Not just any bird is good enough for you,” his father answered as he turned the page, not bothering to look out from behind the paper.

  


“She's not just a 'bird,' Dad.” Dudley rolled his eyes and thought back to his date with Katie. He smiled as he remembered the feel of her lips and the wonderful scent of her skin.

  


“You haven't got that AIDS test yet, have you? Are you sure you used protection?”

  


“Mum! Stay out of my business!”

  


“Don' t talk to your mother that way, boy!” his father shouted, suddenly tossing the paper to the table. “Our family has a reputation in this county and I won't have you gallivanting around banging every bird that's willing to spread her legs!”

  


“I did NOT sleep with her and for the last time, it's NONE of your bloody business!” Dudley buried his face in his hands. He had much better things to do with this Saturday morning but wasn't about to tell his parents what those plans were. The phone rang and he stood up. His mother, unfortunately, was quicker than he was and answered the phone.

  


“Hello, Dursley residence...No, this is Petunia Dursley...Yes, and who is this?...Who? What did you say?...How DARE you call here!...”

  


Just from the tone of his mother's voice, Dudley knew that it had to be Ginny on the phone. She was going to call that morning to finalize his plans with Harry and Ron. 

  


“Mum, give me the phone!” Without waiting for her answer, he snatched the phone from her. He turned away from them and walked a few steps into the living room.

  


“Ginny? Sorry about her.”

  


“Merlin, she hasn't changed much, has she?”

  


Dudley snorted. “Unfortunately not. So what's the plan for today?”

  


“Well, I have a match.”

  


“Oh.” Dudley hadn't spoken with Harry in over a week, and the last time they were to go to the pub, Dudley had to cancel because he was sick. “So I guess Harry won't be missing that then, huh?”

  


“Nope. But didn't he tell you he wanted to take you to the match today? I swear he's as forgetful as Aunt Muriel these days.”

  


“Really?” He'd never seen a Quidditch match before, and from what Harry and Ron told him, it was a rather exciting game. “How am I supposed to get there? I'm a Muggle, remember?”

  


“Can't forget that now can we, Dudley? Actually, Harry will be stopping over and he'll Apparate the two of you to the Pitch.”

  


“Ap—apparate?” He'd never done that before and frankly, it frightened him. 

  


“It'll be fine, Dudley, I promise.”

  


“And they'll let me in? I thought Harry said they had charms to repel us.”

  


“They do, but since you'll be with Harry, they'll let it slide.”

  


It still amazed Dudley that Harry was famous in his world, when for most of his life he was just a scrawny little git who wore his old clothes. “Okay. Fine. Just tell him to be careful and not knock over my trash bins. The neighbour wasn't too pleased last time.”

  


When Dudley hung up the phone, his parents looked as if they'd seen a ghost.

  


“What the blazes are you doing talking to those freaks?” his father asked, his face growing redder by the second.

  


“They're my friends. That's what you do with friends. Talk.”

  


“But Dudley,” began his mother, “can't you see that they're turning you against us? They cast one of their freaky spells on you, didn't they? To...to turn you into one of them.”

  


Dudley had to laugh openly at his mother's remark. “That's not the way it works, Mum, remember? They're born, not made...you should know that.”

  


“Don't remind me,” she muttered. “You need to break away from them, Dudley.”

  


“Are you telling who to be friends with? Don't you think I'm a little old for that?” He crossed his arms in front of his chest and dared them to say anything.

  


“Really, son, why would you want to spend time with them?” his father asked.

  


“Because they're nice and--”

  


Dudley was interrupted by a tapping at the window and looked over to see Lord Byron perched outside. His heart skipped a beat knowing he had a letter from Katie.

  


“An owl! Now you're getting owls from them? They've brainwashed you! Vernon, we need to get him to a clinic!” his mother shrieked.

  


“Shut up!” Dudley shouted as he let the owl in and extended his leg for Dudley. “Here, have my eggs.” He set the plate of eggs in front of the owl, who began pecking at the runny yolks.

  


Dudley unrolled the parchment and began reading.

  


  


_Dudley--_

  


_Sorry that I haven't written in a while. Work's been busy lately, with matches to cover and deadlines to meet._

  


_I've been thinking a lot about our date and would love to get together again soon. My schedule is rather light the next few weeks,so I could be all yours. That is, if it's okay._

  


_I'll call you tonight as I have to work today._

  


_< 3 Katie_

  


  


Of course it was okay that she wanted to see him next week. It thrilled him to no end actually. But then, he was reminded, just by looking at his parents, that it would never work out between them, and his heart sank.

  


“Who is that from?” his father snapped, pulling the letter from Dudley's fingers and quickly scanning it. With a huff a disgust, he ripped the letter to shreds.

  


“Dad! That was mine!”

  


“A...a witch! He was out with a witch that time, Tuney!”

  


She swayed visibly and clutched her chest dramatically while tears began streaming down her cheeks.

  


“You...you can't do this, Dudley! You mustn't see her anymore! I'll introduce you to someone in the garden club…yes, that would be much better...someone nice...and...normal...with real prospects.”

  


“She is nice, Mum! And she's normal, too. I'm twenty-threefucking years old, for Pete's sake! I can see whomever I want to!” Oh how he wished he could blow up his parents the way Harry blew up Marge. 

  


“You are NOT to see that...that...FREAK anymore, if you know what's good for you.” His father was a brilliant shade of purple.

  


“Out,” he said calmly. “Get out of my house and don't come back until you can keep your big noses out of my business and leave my friends alone.”

  


“Oh, come on now, Dudley. This is ridicu--”

  


“NO! I've had enough of the both of you to last me two lifetimes. I've made my peace with Harry and if you can't accept that, then you can just bugger off and take a flying leap.”

  


He moved to open the door and before his parents could leave, Harry appeared outside, causing everyone to jump.

  


“Nice timing, Harry,” Dudley said sarcastically.

  


  


“They really said all that?” Harry asked after Dudley explained what had gone on with his parents. 

  


Harry's sudden appearance at Dudley's door hastened his parents' departure, which couldn't have been soon enough for the two young men. They then settled down at the kitchen table with some coffee that Harry brought along and a bottle of Irish cream.

  


“Yeah, they did,” Dudley answered quietly. “Called her a freak and everything.”

  


“But what do you think of her?” Harry asked over the rim of his mug.

  


Dudley's face brightened at Harry's question. “She's funny and so easy to talk to. Did you know it was her first movie?” Harry shook his head with a smile. “I had a great time with her.”

  


“Good. I'm glad.” Harry looked at Dudley, who wore a bit of a dreamy look on his face. “She a good kisser?”

  


“Yeah,” Dudley whispered.

  


Harry put a hand behind his right ear. “What was that? Couldn't quite hear you, Dudley.”

  


“Git.” Dudley tossed a balled up napkin at Harry. “Yes, she's a great kisser,” he answered, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. They shared a laugh and added more Irish cream to their coffee.

  


“When are you going to see her again?”

 

“See, that's just it, Harry, I don't think I can.”

  


“Why not? You like her, don't you?”

  


“Yes. It's not a question of liking her or not. It's just...it's...” He couldn't say it because saying it out loud would only make it more true.

  


“Is it because she's a witch?” Harry's expression changed from one of amusement to one of slight irritation. “I didn't think it would matter.”

  


“I didn't want it to, either, but it does. It's not like I can bring her home to meet the parents. And all my other friends? What am I supposed to tell them? I can't do that to her. Or me.” Dudley took a long drink and leaned back against the chair.

  


“So let me get this straight,” Harry said in his interrogation voice. “There's a girl you like, have fun with, and enjoy kissing. But you can't be with her because of your close-minded parents.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Just follow your heart, Dudley.”

  


“It's not that simple, Harry. You don't have to worry about what your parents think.” At Harry's shocked expression, he raised his hand. “I'm sorry, but it's true. You and Ginny are from the same world, from the same place in life. As great as Katie is, I can't make her sacrifice her life for me.”

  


“It wouldn't have to be that way. There's plenty of Muggles who've married magical people. It's been going on for ages! Hell, one of my friend's father is a Muggle and their marriage is great. It just takes a bit of compromise.”

  


“Why the HELL are you bringing up marriage? I've had one date with her, Harry. One.”

  


Harry leaned forward on his forearms. “Personally, I think you'd be great together. I'd give it a shot if I were you.” The clock chimed the hour, and Harry jumped. “We've gotta go!”

  


Leaving the coffee cups on the table, they stepped out the door and once Dudley locked it, Harry Disapparated with Dudley hanging onto his cousin and his eyes squeezed tight. Dudley felt sick to his stomach and he travelled through the air, clinging to Harry. Once he felt solid ground under his feet, he opened his eyes and was amazed at the sight of the Quidditch pitch in front of him. 

  


“Holy shit!” Dudley exclaimed, his jaw wide open.

  


“No time for gawking, Big D.” Harry pulled Dudley toward the entrance on their left and up the stairs. Dudley struggled to keep up with Harry and by the time they reached their box seats, Dudley was out of breath.

  


“Harry! Dudley! I was beginning to think you got lost or something,” Ron bellowed from one of the seats. Harry and Ron slapped each other on the back and Dudley shook Ron's hand. “Come on you two...I'm three Butterbeers ahead of you already!”

  


“Butterbeer? That's all you could bring? You're a bloody lightweight, Weasley,” Dudley joked. He and Ron, while the same height, were much different in build. Ron was lean with long limbs whereas Dudley was solid and somewhat bulky. They were constantly trying to see who could drink whom under the table, but up until this point, neither of them were successful.

  


With a hearty laugh, both Harry and Dudley took their seats next to Ron. Still amazed by the size of the stadium, Dudley leaned forward and became a bit dizzy and swayed a bit.

  


“Whoa there, mate,” Harry said, pulling Dudley back from the edge. “Not a good idea to do that your first time.”

  


Dudley sat back and took a deep breath, nodding as he clutched the bottle of Butterbeer that Ron had placed in his hand, closing his eyes and allowing his equilibrium to return.

  


“Uh-oh, Harry, here comes the press. Time to put on your happy face.”

  


Harry swore under his breath and Dudley turned to find a group of about eight people walking up the stairs toward their box. Dudley was anxious to see how Harry handled the press.

  


“Mr. Potter, so nice to see you again,” purred a burly man with hair more violently red than Ron's and wearing a kilt that was flapping in the breeze. Dudley had to look away. “Angus McFadden of Quidditch Illustrated, if you remember.” He held out his hand to Harry and the two of them shook hands.

  


“Nice to see you again was well, Angus.” Harry smiled, obviously pleased to see the man. “Thank you for the article you did on my wife.”

  


“Ah, that's right! You married a few months ago,” McFadden remarked. “Want to introduce you to my protégé. She's an ace reporter and has a keen eye for Quidditch.”

  


Dudley looked over as McFadden stepped aside and his jaw dropped when he saw her.

  


“Dudley! I didn't know you'd be here!” shouted Katie as she hurled herself into his waiting arms.

  


All of his thoughts escaped him as he held her, revelling in the warmth of her hair and the smell of her perfume. They began exchanging kisses and Dudley didn't realize exactly how much he missed her.

  


Dudley also didn't realize that Harry and McFadden held each other's gaze with a smile. He also missed Ron handing over five Galleons to Harry and barely containing his laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

\--Chapter Four--

  


  


Dudley couldn't concentrate on the match knowing that Katie was four rows up in the press box. He kept looking back, hoping to catch her eye, but every time he looked, she was either looking through her binoculars or writing something.

  


“Dudley, stop staring at her! Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not polite?” Ron teased, finishing off another Butterbeer.

  


“What?” he answered, half-dazed. “Oh real funny, Ron. I was not staring at her.”

  


“Sure. Just like the two of you weren't snogging in front of her boss,” Harry pointed out. “Good thing you weren't the one wearing the kilt.”

  


“Yeah, then we'd all know how you felt about Katie,” Ron sniggered.

  


“Shut up! It's not...that sort of thing.” Dudley slumped in his seat and continued to nurse his Butterbeer.

  


Harry and Ron were right, of course, but Dudley wasn't about to admit that to either one of them. Once he'd seen Katie, he could have cared less about where they were. He sought out her lips and she gladly received his kisses and then some. Her mouth tasted better than he remembered and he didn't stop kissing her until the flash of cameras forced them to jump apart. The last thing Dudley needed was to have his image splattered across a Quidditch magazine playing tonsil hockey with Katie. His parents would just love that.

  


His distraction over Katie caused him to miss a large portion of the match and he had to be briefed about what had happened on a number of occasions. He missed Ginny scoring two goals and a supposedly miraculous save by the opposing Keeper. 

  


Noticing Dudley's discomfort, Harry told him, “Dudley, we're just taking the piss. Didn't mean to make you feel bad.”

  


“'s'okay, Harry. Now come on and tell me why this match is still going after almost...” he paused to check his watch, “five hours.”

  


At Dudley's words, Harry and Ron leapt to their feet and began whooping and hollering. Dudley rose to his feet as well but couldn't see what all the fuss was about. The only thing he saw was two players on broomsticks racing at breakneck speed.

  


“What's goin' on?” Dudley asked.

  


“The Snitch! There! Look—YES!!” Harry shouted and jumped again. “We won!”

  


Before Dudley could say anything, Ron and Harry, along with half the crowd began singing:

  


“ _Go ahead and kiss yer lass,_

_The Harpies have just kicked yer ass!_

_Turn around and have a hurl,_

_You got beat by a bunch of girls!  
_

_Beating you was such a breeze_

_Three cheers for the Holyhead Harpies!_

  


_Go ahead and cry on the roof_

_You all played like a bunch of poofs!_

_The way you played was much amiss_

_Yer water was replaced with piss!_

_Beating you was such a breeze_

_Three cheers for the Holyhead Harpies!”_

  


The song ended with a funny little dance which consisted of rude hand gestures and a lot of hip thrusting that made Dudley laugh.

  


“Come on, Dudley! We've got a victory party to go to!” said Harry, tugging on Dudley's arm. As they began to make their way down the stairs, a voice shouted from behind them.

  


“Dudley! Dudley!”

  


The three of them stopped and found Katie waving her arms furiously and wearing a big smile, which Dudley returned immediately. He waved the other two on, and as he waited for Katie, several spectators bumped into him and gave him dirty looks. When she was finally within reach, he grasped her hand and together they made their way down the stairs to join Harry and Ron.

  


“Great match, wasn't it, Katie?” Harry said, full of excitement.

  


“Absolutely. Ginny had a great game, but I really don't get to enjoy them much when I'm working.”

  


“Yeah, well, Dudley didn't see much of it, either,” Ron piped in with a smirk.

  


Katie turned to Dudley and put a hand on his shoulder, the gesture sending volumes of messages to his brain. “Are you ill, Dudley?”

  


“Uh, no. I just...well--”

  


“Was too busy looking at you,” Ron quipped. Harry barked out a laugh while Dudley hid his face behind his hand. Dudley tried not to look at Katie at that moment, but he couldn't help it. She looked so damned good and if he was more than just sexually attracted to her, he was going to be in big trouble, that was for sure.

  


“Are you going to the party, Dudley?” asked Katie, running a hand lightly down his arm.

  


“I, well, hadn't thought about it,” he answered, his hand automatically to the small of her back.

  


“Well, the press isn't allowed and if you'd like, we can do something else.”

  


Her words lit a fir within him and he suddenly felt as if he wanted to run away with her on the spot. 

  


“Yeah!” he said enthusiastically before realizing that Harry and Ron were standing next to him. “Uh, do you two mind? I mean ...”

  


“Go ahead. Have fun, you two,” Harry said with an encouraging look. He and Ron turned around and headed for the Harpies' clubhouse.

  


Dudley and Katie stood there for a while, watching the rest of the crowd thin. When it was just the two of them, he reached out and clasped her hand as if drawn by a magnetic force. He turned to her and brushed back her hair with his free hand.

  


“So, what did you have in mind?”

  


“Well, nothing specific, really. I just thought it would be nice to spend some time alone with you. I missed you,” she admitted, leaning into him and bringing her body right up to his.

  


“I missed you too.” At that, he leaned in and she eagerly met his lips, moving hers across his. Her free hand went behind his head and held him there before deepening their kiss. 

  


Damn, she's good at this.

  


“Dudley,” she said softly, after pulling away from him. Her lips were puffy and just begged for him to kiss her again.

  


“Yeah?”

  


“Would you—would you like to go back to my place?”

  


He merely nodded, as all coherent speech left him.

  


“Well then, hold on tight,” she said with a smile and drew him in for an embrace. Once he was holding her in his arms, she Disapparated and in a matter of seconds, they were standing outside her door. With a wave of her wand, the door opened and the lights in the main room turned on.

  


The main room consisted of a living space on his right with a small couch, or rather more of a futon, an end table, and an armchair with a patchwork quilt thrown over it. A tall bookshelf stood next to the window with books, trophies, and assorted knick-knacks lining the shelves. There was, however, no television. On his left was a kitchenette and a round table with four mismatched chairs around it. Two doors were directly in front of him. The door on the right led to the bathroom, as evidenced by the sink showing through the open door, and the room on the left was obviously her bedroom. The walls were lined with various items ranging from prints of fine art to Quidditch posters in which the players flew in and out of view. Painted on the kitchen cabinets were white doves set against a light blue background. Somehow, they seemed to suit her.

  


“It's not much, but it's home,” she said as she sat on the futon.

  


“What's with the doves in the kitchen?” He hadn't taken his eyes off them since he saw them.

  


“Oh that. My Patronus is a dove. It's saved my life on more than one occasion.”

  


“A Patronus? I've heard of those before.” He sat down next to her and she turned to him. “I think Harry used one once to save my life.”

  


She nodded. “He's the one who taught me the charm.”

  


“Really? When'd he do that?”

  


Katie went on to explain the circumstances behind her learning the charm and then all about the DA that year. Harry had never mentioned anything about this to Dudley before, but then again, they weren't exactly close back then.

  


“You don't have a television,” he blurted.

  


“What's that?”

  


Dudley was flabbergasted. He had three televisions in his place and couldn't imagine life without one. “Oh my God! I can't believe you don't know what it is! You watch shows on it, like at the cinema. And there's game shows and sports and the news, too. I have three of them.”

  


“Why? You can only watch one at a time, right?”

  


“Well, yeah. But what do you do all day, like when you don't work?” On his days off, he usually spent it in front of the television or on the Internet.

  


“Um, I read. And I listen to the wireless. Sometimes I paint. I painted the doves on the cabinet doors.” Dudley turned around and saw an easel he hadn't noticed in his original survey of her flat. “You want to listen to some music?” She waved her wand and a small box on a shelf began to glow and some soft music filled the room. Dudley settled back and without thinking, he pulled Katie into his shoulder, a movement that came naturally to the both of them.

  


“'So did you like the match?” she asked while her finger traced the lettering of his sweatshirt. “Ginny played a great game.”

  


“Uh yeah. It was hard to keep up with it all. But you know what?”

  


She looked up at him, her big eyes filled him with longing. “What?”

  


“I kept looking back for you. I wanted to be near you the whole time.” For Dudley to admit something like this was uncharacteristic. In his only other serious relationship, he never admitted how he felt about anything this early. 

  


Relationship? Where the bloody hell did that come from? He wasn't even sure if they were dating, let alone in a relationship. But the more he thought about it, he supposed they could be dating. They talked on the phone, they wrote and had a wonderful time together at dinner and the cinema. But was this something real? Something that could develop...? He shook those thoughts out of his head.

  


“I know,” she told him. “I saw you every time.”

  


Dudley's eyes widened in shock. “No way! You were always looking through the binoculars or looking down as you wrote.”

  


She chuckled and he felt the vibrations along his side. “Well, I was looking at you with the Omnioculars and I have a talent for being able to look elsewhere while I write. Bad habit from school.”

  


“Oh.” He was flattered. No one had ever taken that much interest in him. He continued to look at her, nestled comfortably at his side with her eyes focused solely on him. He couldn't help himself when he leaned down to kiss her.

  


The kiss started out slowly and tenderly. His hands went to her hair and he breathed deeply, savouring her scent and the feel of her in his arms. Katie ran her hand along his cheek and down his neck, sending jolts of pleasure through his body. Finally, their tongues met in gentle strokes that made them both moan. He pulled her onto his lap, her legs draped over to one side. Feeling emboldened, one hand began moving on her back and the other softly caressed her thigh. Her fingers wove into his hair and she pressed herself against him, bringing her curves within his reach.

  


His left hand went to her breast and gently, yet cautiously, squeezed it a bit. She arched into his hand, giving him the permission he was seeking. He kept up with the kneading of her breast and felt an overwhelming urge to get closer to her. Dudley shifted and moved her leg over to the other side so that she straddled him. He couldn't help but thrust his hips into her crotch, showing her exactly how she made him feel.

  


“Oh Merlin, Dudley,” she moaned, moving her mouth to his neck, sucking and kissing her way down to his collarbone, while her hand went between their bodies, rubbing him over his jeans with her hand.

  


“Fuck,” he muttered as she continued to rub him. His own mouth went to her ear and kissed the tender flesh around her ear and his tongue traced the curves and ridges of her outer ear before he sucked the earlobe into his mouth. He held her with one hand while the other snuck inside her shirt and touched her smooth skin for the first time. She felt like silk against his big hands and he moved his way up her side until he reached the fabric of her bra.

  


At his touch, Katie squeezed his bulge, making him moan in pleasure. She continued to gyrate against him and their mouths found each other again. It was unbelievable, the way that she felt as she moved against him.

  


“Take off your shirt, Dudley,” she purred, her face even with his. He gladly obliged and she set about running her hands over him, stopping to knead his shoulders, play with his nipples and the follow the hair that went down into the waistband of his jeans.

  


Should he? Should he take what she was so obviously offering to him? Christ, he wanted to and badly. There was just something about her that made his better judgement fly out the window. Normally, he wouldn't even think of doing this so early on. Where had his mind gone? He very nearly laughed when he realized it had now taken up residence in his pants. He regained his composure and stopped moving his hands enough to get her attention.

  


“What's wrong?” she asked breathily and sounding sexier than he'd ever imagined.

  


“We—we can't. Not now, Katie,” he said, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I want to get to know you better.”

  


She blinked and then slid off his lap. “Okay. Really, it's okay. I usually don't do this.” Her hands once again went to his chest, moving around as if she couldn't get enough of touching him. “But...but I just can't help it. We feel so...”

  


“Connected?” he said for her and she nodded. “I know, I feel it, too. And to be honest, it scares the shit out of me.” His mouth turned up a bit in an attempt to smile.

  


“Have you ever?”

  


“Have I what?”

  


She turned away and shook her head. “You know,” she said, turning back to him. “Have you ever had sex before?” That was perhaps the last thing he expected to talk about with Katie Bell this evening.

  


“Uh, yeah,” he admitted while she again snuggled back onto him.

  


“When? When was your first time?”

  


“Oh God. I was fifteen,” he admitted, causing her to raise an astonished eyebrow. “Hey! It was a week or so after that Determinator attacked me...”

  


She giggled. “Dementor, Dudley.”

  


“Yeah. Anyway, it was terrible and over in about two seconds.”

  


“That long? Impressive,” she teased.

  


“I'll have you know that I have since improved my technique dramatically.” Her eyes sparkled, making him again want to throw her back onto the futon and take her right there. 

  


“I was eighteen. We'd just won the Quidditch Cup my seventh year.”

  


“Really?”

  


“Uh-huh. He was in my year and very handsome. Damn, what was his name?” Katie threw her head back, trying to think of the name.

  


“I see he made a good impression on you.” He felt a sudden rush of jealousy toward this nameless wanker.

  


“He did, honest! I mean he did everything for me that night, and I mean EVERYTHING!”

  


“Such as?” He prepared himself for images of a naked Katie writhing on a bed, moaning while she was being fucked. He quickly hardened again.

  


“Oh, a little of this...” She wiggled her fingers in front of him. “A little of that...” She stuck out her tongue and wiggled it. “And a whole lot of this...” She smiled wickedly at him again and began grinding against him yet again. He groaned in something that resembled pleasure, but it appeared she thought he was in pain. “Sorry.”

  


“Don't ever apologize for that,” he said and kissed her again. All their talk of sex did nothing to ease the erection and he felt as if he would burst if he didn't have some sort of release soon.

  


Katie pulled away and took his face in her hands. “Do you need some help with that?”

  


His eyes widened at her words and all he could do was nod. He swallowed audibly as her hands went to the button of his jeans, releasing it before making her way to the zipper. The sound of his zipper being lowered ever so slowly caused him to groan and shut his eyes. When the confines of his jeans were loosened, he raised his hips and she tugged both his jeans and his underwear down to his thighs and slid off the couch so she could stretch out to kneel before him.

  


“Oh. My. God,” he groaned, lifting his hips and seeking her out.

  


Katie took him in her hands, gently stroking him before encasing his throbbing flesh in her mouth.


	5. Chapter 5

  
Author's notes:

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* * *

\--Chapter Five--

 

 

Dudley awoke the next morning happier than he had been in a very long while. The sunlight streamed in through the window yet he didn't want to get up just yet. He pulled the covers over him and turned to the side, swinging his arm and pulling Katie's naked body up against him. She shifted her body to nestle into his, causing his morning erection to grow.

 

Last night with Katie had been incredible. After she put her mouth to work on him, all thoughts of waiting vanished. He came hard inside her mouth and she willingly swallowed it down. It was the best blow-job he'd ever had. They left a trail of discarded clothing from the futon all the way to her room where they immediately set about having the most mind-blowing sex of his life. Every part of his body responded to her touch, and he hoped he did the same for her. Several times, he worried that his size would hurt her. Fortunately, nothing phased her as she welcomed him into her body.

 

Her body was beautiful. Her breasts fit perfectly into his hands and the nipples were perpetually hard. Her abdomen, with it's hills and valleys, gave him delicious territory to explore with his mouth and hands. Her strong legs nearly squeezed the life out of him as she flexed her muscles around him. And when he was inside her...it was as if she had been made specially for him.

 

He kissed her hair and let his hand venture south to the apex of her legs, searching the still-moist curls for entrance. He wanted her again desperately. She moaned slightly and placed her hand on top of his, directing him where to go.

 

“Morning,” she whispered huskily. Katie arched her back, pressing her bum against his growing cock.

 

“God, I want you,” he moaned.

 

“Sounds good to me.” She made to turn around but her stopped her.

 

“Lift your leg.” He reached around and grabbed one of the pillows from under his head and placed it on his before setting hers on top.

 

“Oh Merlin.”

 

Dudley pulled her bottom against him and lined his cock up with her slick entrance. Another arch of her back and he was inside her.

 

“That feels so...oh!” she cried when his finger touched her clit. Their moans mingled while their bodies rocked against each other until they each found release once again.

 

Once their breathing settled, they lay facing one another, hands clasped and eyes gazing at each other. Dudley never felt such peace and sense of completeness before.

 

“You're incredible,” he whispered, kissing her knuckles. She blushed attractively. “None of that. There's no reason to blush after the things we've done.”

 

“I know, but this is all so fast...but it feels so right.”

 

That was exactly the way he felt. Something about the two of them together like this felt so right, perfect even, as if it were preordained eons ago. It wasn't just the sex with her. He could talk to her about things he never dared mention to anyone else.

 

“I understand completely. But it's a little scary, too.” She nodded. “I don't know how I'm going to tell my parents about you.”

 

She stiffened against him and her expression faded. “Why?”

 

He placed a kiss on her forehead and went on to tell her about his parents' attitude toward anything having to do with magic. He told her about how they treated Harry and made her swear she'd never tell anyone else about what he just said. It felt as is a dam broke inside him, finally allowing him to voice his feelings and concerns. When he finished, she kissed him softly on the mouth, pulling away before he could deepen it. 

 

“Thank you for telling me. But I have to wonder why you feel you have to please them so much. You've become a different person since reconciling with Harry. If they can't accept me, then that's their problem.

 

“I know.” His hands went to her hair and played with the silky strands. “They're bigots, just like Harry said, but I'm their only child, Kat, and I can't abandon them. They'll need me some day.”

 

“So what about me? Will you abandon me?” Her question broke his heart.

 

“I don't want to, honest. I want to have you around as long as possible. I don't want this to end. Not yet.” The burning in his eyes became almost unbearable.

 

She nodded and bit her lower lip.

 

“Give me some time before I tell them, okay? I have to figure that out on my own.” He placed his hand on her cheek and softly moved his thumb over her lips while she gave him a weak smile.

 

“My parents know about you,” she stated simply. “They don't care if you’re magical or not. Only if you make me happy and treat me right.”

 

“I just can't believe you told them about me already.” They had, after all, had only one date and several letters and calls before yesterday.

 

“Why wouldn't I tell them about you? I don't want to hide anything.”

 

“At least your parents treat you like an adult. Mine still think I'm ten.” And that was the worst, Dudley decided. They refused to get him go and he knew that he had to assert himself soon, they wouldn't do it on his own.

 

Katie began placing kisses on his chest and moved in closer to him. The kisses gave way to gentle caresses that fuelled the fire within and soon, all thoughts of parents disappeared and it was only to two of them once more.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

As the weeks passed, Dudley and Katie became nearly inseparable. Every Wednesday night, they went to see a football game, which Katie soon grew to love. On Saturdays, he would join Harry and Ron at various Quidditch pitches, and afterwards, Dudley and Katie would spend the night between the sheets of her bed. They rarely made love at his place since his parents were known to stop over without notice. It only took one time of nearly being discovered on the kitchen floor for them to steer clear of Dudley's.

 

Even though he still didn't tell them everything, Dudley did admit to his parents that he was seeing someone but didn't give many details. He told them that she travelled for work, which Katie did in a way, and they took that as she was a flight attendant. It was enough to satisfy their curiosity for now at least. The more Dudley got to know Katie, the more he realized that there was so much more to her than her magical ability, and he hoped that could be enough for them when he finally did tell them.

 

One lovely Wednesday night, they took a drive after the football game and Dudley begged her to transfigure the car into a convertible. As they drove, he felt freer than he had in a long time; the wind blew through his hair and he had a beautiful woman at his side. They stopped at a hill overlooking some unknown town. They got out of the car and Dudley retrieved a blanket, laying it on the bonnet. They got on top and looked up at the stars.

 

“There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight,” she said dreamily. “It's supposed to be pretty spectacular, too.”

 

“Really? Sounds cool.” He took her hand and they leaned against the windshield of the car until one by one, streaks of light danced across the sky. It was beautiful and the first one he'd ever witnessed. After a few minutes, Dudley slid off the car and turned the key so the radio played, tuning it to a jazz station that suited the evening to a tee. When he returned, he had a bottle of wine with him.

 

“Oh that looks great!” Katie reached out for the bottle and with her wand removed the cork before raising the bottle to her lips and taking a sip. “That's a nice one!”

 

He took the bottle that she held out to him and took a sip. There was something very intimate about sharing the bottle with her. It was something akin to a kiss, something only two people could share. Once the bottle was emptied, Katie began giggling and running her hand along his thigh.

 

“You're drunk,” he said with a smile. 

 

“I'm horny,” she purred and slid up the metal of the bonnet and kissed his lips. He entered her mouth with his tongue, tasting the remnants of the wine on her lips, driving him a bit further to the edge. The kisses soon led to wandering hands and heavy breathing until they both were moaning in pleasure and want.

 

Katie reached out a hand and impatiently fumbled with his button and zipper to reach inside his boxer shorts to stroke him. He moaned in pleasure at the way her fingers wrapped around him. They continued to kiss as she toyed with his stiffening cock, making him crazy with want. It a brief moment of clarity, Dudley reached out and opened her jeans. 

 

“Oh Merlin, please!” 

 

His fingers inched their way toward the wiry hair, which he discovered was already damp, sliding into her hot, slick core.

 

Together, they kissed, touched, teased, and stroked their way to orgasm as the stars continued to rain down on upon them. Afterwards, they lay cuddled together with the blanket now wrapped around them.

 

“I love you, Dudley,” Katie whispered softly. 

 

His eyes widened and panic overtook him.

 

“Katie...I...” He couldn't form the words she wanted to hear and he felt terrible for it.

 

“It's okay, really it is.” She softly stroked his cheek and before he could say anything, she stopped him with a finger on his lips. “I just couldn't keep it in anymore.” A lone tear slid down her cheek, making him desperately wish he could say the words back.

 

“I care so much about you, Katie. You know I do.” She nodded tearfully. “God, Katie, please don't cry. I love being with you and how you make me feel.”

 

“You just don't know if you love me.” She cried a bit more and slid off the car, taking a few steps away from him and turning her back. He quickly followed and stood behind her with his chin on top of her head.

 

“I've never felt like this. Please, Katie, you've got to understand that it's not you...it's me. I don't want to hurt you.” He squeezed her tightly and felt her begin to relax against him.

 

“I know. But it's not what a girl dreams of, you know?” She turned around and looked up at him with her eyes sparkling with tears. “Usually when she says she loves a bloke, she thinks he'll say it back.”

 

“One day, Katie. One day soon, I promise,” he whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips.

 


	6. Chapter 6

\--Chapter Six--

 

 

Dudley paced in his living room, walking between the kitchen door and the door to the hall. Every time he passed the window, he would look nervously outside and then back down at his feet. A few seconds later, the clock chimed and he stopped in the middle of the room to take a deep breath. It was almost time.

 

About a week after Katie's confession, she and Dudley met for coffee at a shop close to his place. They sat outside in the late summer air with their hands clasped and resting on the table.

 

“Mum and Dad want to meet you,” she stated plainly.

 

“Really?” Dudley's voice sounded as if it belonged to a girl.

 

“They won't bite, love,” she tried to reassure him, stroking the flesh of his hand with her thumb. “They can tell things have progressed.”

 

“You...you told them about...us...having...sex?”

 

“No! Dudley, calm down. They just noticed from the way I talk about you. They can see that I love you.” Her words warmed his heart.

 

“So when do they want to meet me?” Taking a sip of his coffee, he prayed that they could wait until Christmas.

 

“Saturday.”

 

“Saturday?” he choked out. She gently patted him on the back.

 

“Well,” she explained, “there's no Quidditch on Saturday, so I don't have to work. They want us to have dinner at their house.”

 

“Are you okay with this?” He suddenly felt very warm, even with the light breeze.

 

“Yes! I want them to meet you! It'll be fine...trust me!” She looked at him with her big eyes, and there was no way Dudley could say no when she looked like that.

 

So tonight was the night he was going to meet Mr and Mrs Bell. The little bit he knew about them didn't really prepare him for their meeting. Clarence, her father, worked at the Ministry of Magic as some sort of barrister or judge. Samantha, her mother, ran a café in Diagon Alley. Katie's sister just started her sixth year at Hogwarts, so she wouldn't be there, and he didn't know if her brothers would be there or not, but he really wasn't looking forward to meeting her older brother, Will. Harry had told him plenty about how difficult Ginny's older brothers had been, and Dudley prayed he wouldn't have to confront them just yet. 

 

When the clock chimed six o'clock, he went to stand in front of the window, waiting for Katie to appear. Seconds turned into minutes, and soon a quarter of an hour had passed but there was still no Katie. He was beginning to think she wasn't going to show and that thought conjured up all sorts of scenarios, each one resulting in Katie ditching him. He was about to give up when she suddenly appeared on his front step. He made it to the door in three strides and swung the door open, pulling her into his arms.

 

“You're late,” he teased as he kissed her behind her left ear, a spot he knew to be very sensitive.

 

“I know,” she sighed. “I couldn't get my hair right. Stop it, Dudley!” She stepped away once he moved his hand from her back to her bum, which he had squeezed firmly with his hand.

 

“I haven't seen you in days,” he whined with a slight pout. “Duddykins needs some sugar.” He quickly pulled her back to him and kissed her firmly and soundly on the lips.

 

“Mmmm...we really need to go,” she murmured against his lips. Before Dudley could argue, she Disapparated them away. When he opened his eyes, they stood in front of an unremarkable home in a noisy neighbourhood. Children ran down the street and he heard a small explosion.

 

“That's Joe Fredrickson. He works for George Weasley, and he's always testing something.”

 

“So this is a magical village? Where are we?” He looked around him and took in the lush green hills in the distance and the clear blue sky.

 

“Lake District. Not too far from Keswick. Come on, we can't keep Dad waiting. He's very punctual.”

 

“Obviously didn't rub off on you,” he teased. She nudged him in the ribs and opened the door.

 

“Mum? Dad? We're here,” she called, pulling him inside.

 

From the back of the house, there was a shuffle that grew louder the closer it got. “Katydid? Is that you?” called a deep voice.

 

“Who else would it be, Dad,” she answered sarcastically.

 

In front of them appeared a short, balding man wearing a purple paisley waistcoat with a pocket watch dangling from one of the pockets. He wrapped his arms around Katie and then pulled back to look at her. “You look beautiful, Katie.” He stepped back and kissed both her cheeks and stepped back to look at Dudley. Their eyes met for a moment. For a small man, he made Dudley feel incredibly small.

 

“Dad, this is Dudley.”

 

The two of them eyed each other carefully. Dudley noticed that he had a star-shaped mole on the top of his head and a scar along his jawline. Her father quickly smiled and grabbed Dudley's hands.

 

“So nice to meet you! We've heard so much about you.” He continued to shake his hands until a shrill voice came from the upstairs.

 

“Katie! Is it my Katydid?” Her mother bounded down the stairs and pulled her daughter into a massive hug. Mrs Bell was an older version of Katie; she was taller than her husband with wavy light-brown hair and the same sparkling hazel eyes. “And this must be Dudley!” He once again found himself in an embrace by someone he didn't even know.

 

“Mother, let him breathe,” Katie said with a smile. She came over to them and rescued Dudley from her mother.

 

“So nice to meet you, Dudley,” Mrs Bell said cheerfully. “Now would you care for a drink? We have pumpkin juice and Butterbeer. Or if you'd like something stronger, Clarence has some Ogden's in the study.”

 

The Bells were so different than his parents or from anyone he'd ever grown up with. Without knowing him, they welcomed into their home and their daughter's life. Her parents smiled and openly touched each other. He couldn't remember the last time his parents shared more than a polite peck on the cheek when his father left for work. All this made him wonder how in the world he was lucky enough to find someone like Katie.

 

“Er, Butterbeer is fine, Mrs Bell.” He'd never had pumpkin juice or whatever the hell Ogden's was.

 

“Sam. Call me Sam, Dudley. Mrs Bell is Clarence's mother and she's older than the hills,” she said exuberantly.

 

“Hey! No making fun of my mother, woman!” Mr Bell exclaimed, swatting his wife's behind playfully. “I'll get the Ogden's, Dudley. None of this poncy weak shit.” He ambled off into another room, and Dudley couldn't help and laugh just a bit.

 

“Sorry about him,” Katie whispered in his ear. “He's just a bit excited. He's never met a Muggle.”

 

“Oh.” Katie's statement made him even more nervous as it appeared that he was now representing every Muggle in the world.

 

“Here we are.” Mr Bell returned with a bottle containing a dark amber liquid. “Damn, I forgot the glasses.” He pulled his wand from his trouser pocket, and with a wave, four glasses flew into the air and were caught by Mrs Bell.

 

“Clarence,” Mrs Bell warned with a stern voice. “We said we wouldn't use magic tonight.”

 

“Ah hell, sorry, love. Dudley, this is the best Firewhisky known to magical man.”

 

Dudley watched as he filled the glasses and Katie's mother handed them around.

 

“Firewhisky? Does that mean I'll breathe fire after I drink it?” Dudley asked nervously.

 

“It takes a couple shots to get to that point, Dudley,” Mr Bell added with a smirk.

 

“Dad, you are so embarrassing. You'll be fine, Dudley,” Katie reassured him.

 

“Now go ahead, drink up!” Mr Bell urged, raising his glass and downing it in one swallow. “Ah! Excellent!”

 

Dudley lifted his glass and smelled the liquid which resembled a good Irish whiskey. Deeming it fit to drink, he put the glass to his mouth and drank it down. He felt the warmth he expected but when it hit his stomach, it felt as if fire was making his way back up his gut and threatened to burst forth in flames out his mouth. He coughed furiously and felt Katie's hand on his upper arm.

 

“You okay?” she asked as she stifled a laugh.

 

“Yeah,” he answered hoarsely. 

 

“That's the good stuff!” Mr Bell answered.

 

After a few more glasses of Firewhisky, dinner was ready, and they gathered around the family table in the dining room. Mrs Bell had asked Katie what Dudley's favourite foods were and prepared them all especially for him. He was very flattered that she went to the trouble just for him and he made a point to tell her so. As expected, the conversation centred around Dudley: what he did for a living, what it was like growing up with Harry Potter, what his background was and, of course, what were his parents like. Those questions understandably made him a bit nervous, and Dudley answered them as well as he could without going into detail about his parents' personalities. Dessert, which consisted of strawberry torte and custard, was scrumptious, and Dudley very happily enjoyed a second helping. After their coffee, Mr and Mrs Bell shooed the younger two away, insisting that they would clear off and wash the dishes. 

 

“You go into the study. I've got to use the loo.” Katie pointed Dudley toward the study and he went inside.

 

Once inside, Dudley was reminded of his father's office at Grunnings. A large desk occupied the near wall and two leather armchairs flanked the fireplace across from him. The wall to his left was lined with bookshelves. Never much of a reader, the books housed there intrigued him. He scanned the shelves, taking note of the odd titles as well as some Muggle books as well. One particular book caught his eye, _Love in the Wizarding World_ , and he took it down. Curiosity won over his better judgement and he opened to the table of contents, pausing to take a second look at the title of chapter eighteen, “Falling in Love with Muggles,” and immediately found the page and read the first paragraph.

 

 

_Although once thought to be a dangerous practice, marrying Muggles is not disastrous to the wizard bloodline. The majority of Muggle-wizard unions result in at least a fifty-percent chance of producing magical children..._

 

 

He skimmed through the chapter a bit more and stopped at a section titled: The Heart Bond.

 

_Discovered by Unspeakables over fifty years ago, the Heart Bond exists to unite magical people and Muggles. The bond manifests itself when the two meet and their hearts, in a sense, find their match. The subjects quickly become involved and their courtship speeds up, progressing faster than one would normally expect. Since this bond only exists between Muggles and witches or wizards, it is theorized that this happens due to the shorter life-span of Muggles. It is thought to be virtually impossible to meet one's heart match, and incidences are rare. However, they should be taken seriously and encouraged to progress to marriage because..._

 

 

“Dudley?”

 

He jumped at her voice, and the book fell from his hands and onto the floor. Before he could retrieve it, Katie Summoned the book into her hands.

 

She looked at the title and laughed. “You've got to be kidding, Dudley,” she teased, closing the book. “That book is ancient, like from when our parents were our age.” She put the book on the shelf and extended her hand to him and led him to the leather chairs. “Sit.”

 

Still confused from what he'd just read, he sat down and Katie placed herself on his lap.

 

“They like you,” she whispered in his ear. Her tongue began darting in and out of his tongue and then she sucked on his earlobe. “And you already know how I feel.” She moved back and gave him a quizzical look. “Dudley, what's wrong? Are you okay?”

 

“Er, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Guess I'm just sleepy from your mum's cooking,” he answered, hoping it didn't sound as lame to her as it did to him.

 

“Yeah, Mum really outdid herself.” She placed her hand on the back of his head and played with his hair, easing his tension and making him close his eyes. “She was expecting Andrew as well, but he had to cancel at the last minute.” She laid her head on his shoulder and he couldn't help but hold her close and caress her back.

 

“Parents were enough for me,” he answered lightly. “Throwing a brother into the mix would have only made it worse.”

 

“Nah,” she purred, unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt and placing her hand against his chest. “Andy is pretty laid back. It's Will you should be worried about. He takes his role as big brother very seriously.”

 

“Great. Thanks a lot,” Dudley answered dryly. “But can't be any worse than what Harry had to go through.”

 

“Ha! Ain't that the truth.”

 

They laughed a bit at Harry's expense and then moved toward each other for a kiss. One kiss led to another and soon they forgot where they were. Katie eventually broke their contact and looked at him.

 

“Do you want to stay?” she asked, her lips still puffy from kissing him. “Mum and Dad said you could. We can pretend you're using the spare room.”

 

He wanted to, really, he did. But he still needed to think about what he'd read in that book. Was that bond real? Is that what was going on between them? He needed to think about this whole thing on his own.

 

“I...I shouldn't. I don't feel comfortable with that idea, Kat.” He knew she was disappointed by the look on her face. “I just met them and I don't want them to know about...us.”

 

“Okay. You wanna go to my place?”

 

As much as he would love to spend the night with her body wrapped around his, he needed to be on his own tonight.

 

“I'm sorry but not tonight. Why don't you stay? You've said you don't get to stay here much anymore.” He brushed the hair out of her face and smiled to try and reassure her. 

 

“Okay. I'll miss you,” she whispered.

 

After a few hours of playing Exploding Snap with her parents, Katie brought Dudley home, and for the first time since meeting her, Dudley didn't sleep at all.


	7. Chapter 7

\--Chapter Seven--

 

 

Sunday, it rained, duplicating Dudley's mood. He sat in the living room with the television playing one of his favourite programmes; however, he could have been in a sensory deprivation chamber as he took absolutely no notice of what was going on.

 

After returning from the Bells' last night, he kept thinking of the Heart Bond and the possibility that he and Katie may be experiencing its affects. Part of him was relieved to know that they weren't stupid for moving so fast, that there was a likely explanation to their attraction. But then, he felt manipulated by God, by Nature, by Merlin, and whoever the hell discovered the blasted thing. He didn't like the idea of having his love life decided by some stupid magical shit.

 

Letting out a sigh, Dudley rose from his seat, walked over to the phone, and dialled Harry and Ginny's number.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey Harry, it's Dudley.”

 

“Oh hey! How's it goin'? So how'd it go with the Bells?”

 

Dudley paused and took a deep breath. “I need to talk to you.”

 

“Is everything alright?”

 

“No.”

 

“Is it your parents? Are they ill?”

 

“No. It's Katie.”

 

“Dudley, what happened at her parents’ house?”

 

“I need to talk to you. And maybe Ginny, too.”

 

“Dudley...”

 

“Can I just come over? Please,” he begged.

 

“Yeah, sure. You still got the Portkey?”

 

“Uh huh. I'll be there in a jiff.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Dudley rang off, opened the hall closet, and took out an old-fashioned lace up boot. Once both of his hands were on it, he felt a tugging on his navel and landed with a thump on his backside, staring up at the plaster ceiling of the entry hall.

 

“You really need to learn how to land, Big D.” Harry stood over Dudley wearing a broad grin and extending a hand to his cousin.

 

“Yeah, well, like I'll ever do that every week,” Dudley said as he allowed himself to be pulled up. “Thanks, mate.”

 

“So what's going on?” Harry led him down the hall and into the study.

 

Dudley sat down in on a chair next to the sofa and waited for Harry to sit down. He tried to calm down by taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. After a few more breaths, he opened his eyes and found Harry staring at him.

 

“Spill it. You come here falling on your arse so it's got to be important.”

 

“Katie...she said she loves me.” Dudley sank back against the chair.

 

“And that's a problem...why?”

 

“I didn't say it back.”

 

“Uh-oh. You need a drink?” Harry stood up and walked over to a cabinet and withdrew a bottle that looked very similar to Mr Bell's Firewhisky.

 

“Not that stuff, please! Had that last night and felt like I was gonna puke fire,” Dudley groaned.

 

“It gets better the more you get used to it. Here.” Harry held out the glass and Dudley took it, downing it in one.

 

“DAMN! That BURNS!” Dudley grimaced as the fire began to subside.

 

“More?” Harry teased.

 

“No!”

 

“Okay, so she said she loved you and you played the mouse,” Harry summarized as Dudley nodded. “So what am I supposed to do about it?”

 

“It's not just that, Harry. Last night, at her parents', I found something...a book.”  
  


“You were reading?” Harry raised a surprised eyebrow and stifled a laugh. “Sorry. Go on.”

 

“I was waiting for her in the study and I read about something called a Heart Bond. Ever hear of it?” Dudley leaned forward onto his knees and folded his hands.

 

"No, I haven't," Harry answered.  


 

“Damn. Has Ginny? Hey, where is she?” Dudley looked at the door, hoping Ginny would just pop into the room.

 

“Uh, she's lying down. Hasn't been feeling well lately.”

 

“Oh. So why are you grinning like that?”

 

“She's pregnant.” Harry beamed as the two of them looked at each other. “I'm gonna be a dad. Can you believe it?”

 

Dudley stood and they embraced. “Congratulations! That's great!” Dudley slapped Harry on the back and then sat, still not believing the news.

 

“It...it wasn't planned, really,” Harry said, his voice changing dramatically.

 

“I figured that much. What about Quidditch? Can she play while she's pregnant?”

 

Harry nodded. “For now. The season is finished in a month, but after that, she can't until after the baby comes.”

 

“Do...do you want her to go back? I mean, it'd be pretty hard to manage playing with a new baby,” Dudley pointed out.

 

“Yeah. We haven't got to that discussion yet. Sometimes, she's hacked off at me for being pregnant and then other times, she's thrilled.” Harry looked up and his smile returned. “But we both want the baby, don't think otherwise. We just weren't expecting this so soon.”

 

“But man! A father!” Dudley thought back to the horrible way that Harry was raised, hoping that despite all that, his cousin would be able to be a great father.

 

A few moments of silence passed between them and then Harry spoke. “So, what's this about a Heart Bond? And what difference does it make with Katie?”

 

“Well, this book was saying that it only happens--”  
  


“Oh there you are,” said Ginny as she stepped into the room. “Hi, Dudley. I thought that was your voice.”

 

Dudley rose from his chair and kissed Ginny on the cheek. Even though she looked tired and a bit peaky, her hair was shiny and fuller than he remembered. Pregnancy was obviously agreeing with her.

 

“How're you doing, Ginny?” Dudley asked, giving her arm a little squeeze.

 

“I told him,” Harry told his wife.

 

“Congratulations. It's great news,” he reassured her, giving her a quick hug.

 

“Thanks. But don't say anything. We haven't told my family yet,” she said softly, moving to sit on Harry's lap. “Mum'll blow a gasket if she knew I was playing while I was pregnant. So what were you two talking about?” She settled herself back against Harry's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

 

“Have you ever heard of the Heart Bond?” Harry asked her with his chin on top of her shoulder.

 

Her eyes lit up. “Yeah. It has to do with Muggles, so Dad knew about it. He was hoping that one day one of us kids would have it happen, just so he could see it in action.” She looked at the two men, both of whom looked rather bewildered. “Why?”

 

“Um, I read about it in a book. Harry, I DO read, you know!” He leaned over and swatted his cousin on the head. “And it really sounds like what's going on with me and Katie.”

 

“Okay,” Harry broke in, “can the two of you please tell me what this is all about? I can't help if I don't know what it is.”

 

Between Dudley and Ginny, they explained to Harry the basics of the Heart Bond. However, Dudley learned that you don't have to meet your Heart Match to fall in love; it only serves as a back up plan, as Ginny put it.

 

“Oh wow, that's interesting,” Harry said when they had finished. “So why do you think it has anything to do with you?”  
  


“Weren't you listening, Harry? It speeds up the attraction and makes things happen quicker,” Dudley reminded him with exasperation.

 

“I know that. But you,” Harry said, pointing at Dudley, “weren't listening to my lovely wife.”

 

Dudley didn't understand what the hell Harry was going on about. He had explained everything he had read in the book and Ginny had filled in the rest with several more details.

 

“I heard everything.”

 

“Dudley, did she tell you anything about her blood line?” Ginny asked gently.

 

“What the bloody hell is that? Has she got leukaemia? Is she dying” Dudley shot up from the chair and began pacing, his hands pulling at her hair. “I just found her! I can't lose her now!”

 

Ginny got up off Harry's lap and stopped Dudley with her hands. “Dudley, I have no idea what leukaemia is, but no, she's not dying.” Dudley relaxed and hugged Ginny with relief.

 

“What Ginny is trying to tell you is that the Bond doesn't apply to Katie. Her mother's Muggle-born.” He stepped behind Ginny and put his hands on her shoulders. 

 

“So? What does that mean?”

 

“She's not a Pureblood. The Heart Bond only happens with Muggles and Purebloods. Not half-bloods like Katie.”

 

Both Harry and Ginny were wearing stupid grins on their faces and Dudley still didn't understand what was so bloody good about it.

 

“What?”

 

It was Harry's turn to swat Dudley. “Think! Heart Bonds are for Purebloods. Katie is not a Pureblood.”

 

Dudley took a few moments to process what Harry had just said. He then thought about how she made him feel, how he couldn't stop thinking about her and how it was getting harder and harder to leave her. His life had changed so much for the better since Harry's wedding and meeting Katie. It was almost as if he were...At his realization, he backed up until he was stopped by the fireplace.

 

“This...this thing with Katie...it's not a spell, and the Bond isn't what it is...so then, what is it?” 

 

“Dudley,” Ginny said softly, placing a hand on his cheek, “I think you know what it is.”

 

 

Dudley's heart lightened tremendously after speaking with Harry and Ginny. He now knew that he was head over heels in love with Katie Bell and admitting it to himself was the first step and an eye opening experience. The air was cleaner, the sun shone brighter, the clouds were fluffier and the birds sang sweeter. Life was so much better with love in his life.

 

Katie was coming over to his house the following night; he had no desire to watch football. He wanted to get some Chinese take-away and watch a romantic movie with her while they snuggled on the sofa. He'd tell her tomorrow night that he was in love with her.

 

Unfortunately, Dudley's good mood quickly died as he saw his mother waiting patiently on the top step by the door. He set his jaw and felt physically ill. This was not what he needed today.

 

“Dudley, we need to talk.”

 

“What now, Mother?” Instead of moving to unlock the door and let her in, Dudley stood firm where he stood.

 

“Can we please go inside? This isn't something I want the neighbours to hear.” Dudley rolled his eyes.

 

“Oh yeah, mustn't let them know that your life isn't perfect, huh, Mum? But you were always there in the garden trying to figure out what was going on with the neighbours. Why not actually share this with them?” Dudley quickly lost his patience with his mother and crossed his arms stubbornly.

 

“Why are you going to football matches every Wednesday? And with a girl, too! Mrs Beckensdale said that her son said he's seen you at several games with a woman,” she explained, pursing her lips.

 

“Yeah, I told you I was seeing someone.”

 

“But you said she was a flight attendant. And Mrs Beckensdale's son said she was too short to be one since he works for an airline.” She was starting to turn red. “Who are you seeing? I demand to know!”

 

“You demand? Oh bloody hell, Mum, who cares? Maybe it's not a bird I'm out with after all? Did he really get a good look? Maybe I'm seeing a bloke, Mum. Ever think of that?” Dudley shouted, not knowing where he got the nerve to say those things to her.

 

His mother gasped, put a hand to her chest, and began breathing faster, stepping away from him.

 

“Yeah, Mum, I'm banging a bloke. I'm stuffing my sausage. I'm a butter lover! Is that what you wanted to know?” Dudley was rather enjoying this. “I'm a queer, Mum, and proud of it! Colour me purple, give me a purse and dress me up like a Teletubby!”

 

With another gasp, she ran back to her car and sped off. He knew she was crying but he didn't care, even though he knew he'd pay for it later on, because the look on her face was funny enough to last a lifetime.  
  
  


* * *


	8. Chapter 8

\--Chapter Eight--

 

 

Dudley and Katie were snuggled on the couch, ignoring the movie in the DVD player and kissing, just as they had for the past hour. His hands were under her shirt, caressing the skin of her stomach, back, and her breasts. When he had discovered she hadn't worn a bra, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. He ached to be inside her, but not yet; there were things he needed to say to her and he wanted to make sure that everything they were doing was about her.

 

Katie had long since removed his shirt and as they continued to kiss, her hands went over his shoulders and then further down to the waistband of his jeans. In spite of her still being dressed, he knew how aroused she was; her scent permeated the air around them. She finally released the fly of his jeans and set about stroking him.

 

“Damn, woman!” he groaned, lifting his hips as she squeezed his cock.

 

“Please,” she begged. “Merlin, Dudley, you never make me wait this long.” Her voice told him she was near her breaking point. Hoping to relieve a bit of tension for her, he reached down and lifted the hem of her dress and searched for her cunt. Pulling aside her silky knickers, he plunged two fingers inside while he rubbed her clit with his thumb. In a matter of seconds, he felt the vibrations of her orgasm.

 

“FUCK!!” she screamed and pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him fiercely and desperately. They continued to kiss until a banging on the door broke them apart.

 

“God DAMN it!” He sat Katie on the couch and kissed her quickly in apology and getting up to cross the room to answer the door, forgetting that he was not wearing a shirt. As soon as the latch was released, Vernon and Petunia Dursley barged their way past their son.

 

“Who the blazes are you?” Vernon shouted, looking directly at Katie.

 

“Dad, leave her alone,” Dudley shot back.

 

“And you—get dressed!” Vernon threw Dudley his shirt.

 

In stark contrast to her husband, Petunia stood in shock as she took in the scene before her. She was embarrassed at having obviously interrupted an intimate moment and yet appalled that something like this would happen in the middle of the living room.

 

“What have you done to him? Trying to trap him, aren't you? Hussies like you--”

 

“DAD!” Dudley screamed everyone was quiet and they all looked at him. “Would you please tell me what you are doing here?”

 

Katie stood up from the couch and straightened her dress and stood next to Dudley.

 

“I should go,” she whispered.

 

“No. You were invited. THEY are the ones who barged into my house.”

 

“No, Dudley, just let me get my bag, and I'll Apparate home.”

 

Her use of the word 'Apparate' caught his mother's attention. Her shock turned to intense loathing as she squinted at the two of them.

 

“So this is the witch who sent the letter, eh? Trying to get your freaky claws into my Duddykins...well, you won't!” she warned.

 

“Mum!”

 

“Dudley, you're clearly under too much stress. It's time we take you away...somewhere quiet where HER lot won't get ahold of you,” his father barked.

 

“My lot? MY LOT?” Katie screeched. The lights began to flicker and the floorboards began to shake. “I thought Dudley was making up how close-minded you two are! But you're worse! You disgust me and how in Merlin's name did you produce someone like Dudley?”

 

“Don't you dare speak to me like that you little--”

 

Vernon never finished his insult as Katie hit him with a spell that knocked him to the floor. Petunia shrieked and ran to help her husband.

 

“That's why people like you ought to be locked up!” Petunia exclaimed.

 

Katie took a deep breath. “Mrs. Dursley, I had hoped that we would meet under different circumstances, but now I realize it wouldn't have done any good at all.” Dudley placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off. She turned to him and said, “I need to say this, Dudley. I tried not to believe him when he said that you were bigoted ass-wipes—his word, not mine—or how you had your noses so far up in the air you'd forgotten that your shit stinks just like everyone else's!”

 

“Why you--” Vernon shouted again.

 

“ _Silencio_!” Katie shouted. “Keep your fat pie-hole shut for once and listen, will you? I love your son. He's a good man, he listens to me, and he makes me laugh. After the way he and Harry were raised, I'm surprised they can love anyone at all.” She turned back to Dudley and said, “I really should go. You three need to talk this out, and I don't want to get in the way or have the MLE after me for using magic in front of a Muggle.”

 

Dudley pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. “You're my life, Katie. I realize that now. I love you.” Tears began to well up in her eyes. “I'm sorry I couldn't say it before when you wanted me to, but I had a lot to think about.”

 

“I love you, too.”

 

“Now that's enough of that! I will not allow you to be with--”

 

“What? You won't allow me to be happy? You won't allow me to love someone?” Dudley's eyes were wide and he felt absolutely furious with his parents. His eyes went to his father, still lying on the floor and cursed into silence. “You are probably the worst parents I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. You spoiled me under the guise of loving me, yet you abused Harry just because he was different.”

 

At the mention of Harry's name, Petunia sank onto a chair and clutched her handbag.

 

“Harry's married. Ginny's expecting. He's famous. He's in charge of half the Aurors. You're missing out on his life because you are both so bitter and angry. And you know what?” He stared at his parents, whose faces were ashen and frightened. “If I'm half the man Harry is one day, I'll be prouder of that than I ever will be at having you as parents.”

 

Silence once again fell upon the room. Katie stood beside Dudley, clutching his arm. She raised her free hand and removed the spell from his father. Even with the spell removed, Vernon remained silent. Vernon and Petunia gathered themselves together and stared at the younger couple. Tears were streaming down his mother's face, and his father looked crestfallen and defeated.

 

“If the day ever comes when you decide that you made a mistake, you'll be able to find me. I'll be with Katie when you do.” Dudley pulled her to his side, breathing in her scent and feeling himself relax as he held her.

 

His mother opened her mouth, as if to say something, but was pulled to the door. Before anything else could be said, Vernon pulled Petunia out the door.

 

“I really do love you, Kat.”

 

She smiled shyly and the tears started again. “You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that.” Her hands slid up his chest, which funnily enough, was still without a shirt.

 

“Oh I know exactly how long it's been.” He had to close his eyes against the urge to lean over her and kiss her breathless. But he needed to explain some things to her first. The two of them sat on the sofa and Dudley told her about the Heart Bond and his fears. But none of that mattered anymore. As long as Katie loved him, all was right with the world.

 

 

“How much longer is this going to take?” Dudley asked Ron.

 

“Depends. It can take days sometimes.” Ron sat back and closed his eyes.

 

“And that's normal?”

 

“Well, she's doing the best she can, Dudley! The little bloke over there decides when it's all done, remember?” Ron took another look at Dudley, whose leg has jumping nervously. “Relax.”

 

“I can't stand the waiting!” Three hours ago, Dudley received a call from Ron that Ginny was close to having the baby. A few minutes after the call, Ron and Dudley Apparated to St. Mungo's to wait with the rest of Ginny's family. 

 

“You try being Harry!” Ron chuckled and moved over for his mother to sit next to Dudley.

 

“So,” began Mrs. Weasley, “how are the wedding plans coming?”

 

Dudley smiled. “Good.” He and Katie were getting married in a month. “Her mum's going spare, though.”

 

“I understand completely. Any word from your parents?” Dudley had sent them a wedding invitation, so surely they must know. 

 

“No.”

 

“I'm sorry, dear,” she said, patting his knee. “Don't give up. They'll come around some day.”

 

“Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. I'm just afraid that some day might be too late.”

 

 

“Would you stop pacing already? You're making me nervous,” Harry teased from his spot in the chair. He lazily finished his Butterbeer and set the bottle on the table next to him.

 

“All you have to do is stand there and wave your stick around. I feel like I'm gonna puke.”

 

“You don't think I get nervous? Before every Quidditch match at school, I couldn't eat a bite. And when James was born? Pure terror,” Harry reminded him.

 

“Still, compared to me--”

 

“We're ready, Dudley,” Ginny said, as she poked her head into the room with a sleeping James in her arms and then left without closing the door.

 

“Ready, Big D?”

 

“Ready as I'll ever be.” The two of them left the room and stepped out into Harry and Ginny's back garden. Once he and Harry, his best man, emerged, music began to play and the service started.

 

The wedding was a very small affair. Out of deference to Dudley's situation, the guests on Katie's side were limited to her immediate family and her grandparents. The only ones there for Dudley were Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and Arthur and Molly Weasley. Ron's mother had tried to take Dudley under her wing as a sort of surrogate son, just has she had for Harry, but he couldn't do it. As much as he appreciated her sentiments, nothing could replace his own parents, no matter what they were like.

 

When it was all finished, when he held Katie in his arms their first night together as husband and wife, he realized the remarkable journey they had just completed brought them full circle. They were strangers at a wedding when they first met a little over a year ago, and today, a wedding joined them together as one. The years ahead filled him with anticipation, knowing that with Katie at his side, life would be full of surprises and magic.


	9. Epilogue

\--Epilogue--

 

 

“Why can't you go through, Daddy?” asked Tabitha Dursley, eleven years old, who was heading to Hogwarts for the first time.

 

Dudley knelt down to his daughter's eye level. “Sorry honey, but Muggles can't go through.”

 

“Then why does Chester get to go in?” Tabitha asked with a pout. Chester, her older brother by two years, was a Squib, yet had enough magical blood in him to get through to Platform 9 ¾.

 

Katie came over and knelt beside her husband. “Honey, we've told you this already. Daddy can't go see the train. But when you come home for Christmas, he'll be standing right there waiting for you.”

 

“Promise?” asked Tabitha, her eyes brimming with tears.

 

“I promise, Tabby Kat.”

 

“Oh puh-lease, Dad. Let the little rugrat go, for Christ's sake,” chimed in Chester, who had been checking out girls as they walked by. 

"Hey! There's Uncle Harry” He ran off to welcome the Potters. Katie and Dudley were soon joined by Harry and his family. Tabitha and Lily squealed when they saw each other and then began crying when they realized that Lily would have to wait another year before starting Hogwarts. Chester and James began taunting some good looking girls and quickly ran through the barrier with Albus on their heels. 

 

“Hey there, Dudley,” Harry said as he stepped beside his cousin. “She ready?” Harry nodded, indicating Tabitha.

 

“She doesn't understand why I can't go through,” Dudley said softly, his hurt evident in her voice. “Katie tried to tell her but...” 

 

“I know.” Harry patted him on the back. “You want me to wait with you?”

 

“I'd like that.”

 

When it was ten minutes to eleven, they needed to say goodbye. Tabitha almost needed to be peeled off Dudley. Just before she went through the barrier, she shouted, “I love you, Daddy!”

 

Once all the commotion had settled down and it was just the two of them, Dudley and Harry sat down on a bench, watching the clock tick.

 

“How's your mum doing?” Harry asked.

 

At the end of May, Dudley's father had passed away. Unfortunately, Dudley and his parents hadn't spoken since they walked out of his house. They never showed up for his wedding. His children were never acknowledged as their grandchildren. Each Christmas and birthday over the last fourteen years broke his heart a little but whenever he looked at Chester and Tabitha, he knew he'd made the right decision.

 

“Dunno. The last time I saw her was the funeral. Wouldn't let Katie or the kids come. Can you believe it?” A few years ago, his voice would have been laced with bitterness but as the years passed, it was just a matter of fact and he dealt with it as best he could.

 

“Actually, I can't believe it, Dudley. Holding onto all that bitterness has to take its toll on her,” Harry said sadly. “She's held onto it since she was twelve.”

 

Dudley nodded his head. Harry had told him a long time ago about his Aunt Lily and what went on between her and his mother. “You aren't tailing her again, are you?” he joked as he remembered how Harry had followed his parents for a few months after their confrontation.

 

“Nope. Minister shot me down on that one. Apparently, being the Minister's brother-in-law and the Chosen One didn't help me at all.” Percy Weasley was in his tenth year as Britain's Minister for Magic.

 

As the hands on the clock inched their way to eleven o'clock, Dudley felt his heart sink and the dam broke. Harry looked nervously around and put an arm around Dudley.

 

“This isn't just about Tabitha, is it?” Dudley shook his head. “Is it your mum?”

 

“They're just kids, Harry. Why is she doing this to them? They had nothing to do with what went on back then, and she doesn't even acknowledge that they exist.” He wiped his nose with his hand and continued, “I know I could have handled things better, done or said something to change their mind, but I didn't, Harry. I just let them leave my life.”

 

“Look at me, Dudley.” Dudley lifted his tear-stained face. “You were the one who reached out and told them what was going on in your life. The Quaffle was in their possession the whole time and they never chose to pass it on. It's not your fault. They chose their life and so did you.”

 

“Thanks,” Dudley said, drying the remainder of his tears. The clock struck eleven and Dudley took a deep breath, knowing that his little girl was off to discover a new world without him.

 

“You're welcome. Besides, I think your life is walking toward you right now.”

 

Dudley looked up and saw Katie with Ginny, Lily, and Chester. Ron and Hermione followed with Hugo in tow. He had a new family now, one of his own choosing, one that he was proud of and loved.

 

That was the real magic of life. 


End file.
